Attack on Riyadh Airport Kills 12, Injures 309; Flights Suspended

The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced that 12 people were killed and 309 others injured, including critical cases, in a missile attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and that operations at the airport have been temporarily suspended pending damage assessment.

The authority stated that the deceased included four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, a Palestinian, an American, an Egyptian, a Jordanian, a Syrian, and a Sudanese. The attack comes after previous strikes targeting the airport last week resulted in four dead, including a pilot for Saudia.

The spokesman for the Arab Coalition announced that King Fahd International Airport in Dammam was also subjected to an attack coinciding with strikes on Al-Kharj. Flight tracking data showed that approximately 291 flights were canceled in Riyadh within 24 hours after airlines including Air India, Lufthansa, flydubai, and Pakistan International Airlines suspended their flights to Saudi Arabia.

The attack sparked widespread international condemnation; the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council called for deterrent international action, and the President of the European Commission considered the targeting of civilian infrastructure unacceptable. Saudi Arabia's delegate to the United Nations stated that Riyadh will not allow Yemen to become a platform for targeting the Kingdom or threatening navigation in the Red Sea.

What do these terms mean?

Civil Aviation Authority: The government entity responsible for regulating civil aviation, airport security, and air navigation movement in Saudi Arabia.

Flight cancellation: A decision that halts a scheduled flight, requiring the passenger to contact the airline to rebook or obtain a ticket refund.

Aerial interception: The shooting down of a missile or drone before reaching its target, which may increase the risk of misidentifying civilian aircraft.